Author: Prof. Engr. Zamir Ahmed Awan, Founding Chair GSRRA, Sinologist, Diplomat, Editor, Analyst, Consultant, Advisor, and Non-Resident Fellow of CCG (Center for China and Globalization). (E-mail: awanzamir@yahoo.com).
China is an ancient civilization and has passed several ups and downs in the history. Especially, last two centuries, China was a victim of imperialism, colonialism, capitalism, and rivalry of big powers. Although China suffered almost two centuries, but, learned bitter lesson, become united, worked hard and gained the lost status and emerged as a global economic power and a global political power. Today China is much more mature and responsible nation, it understands its global obligations.
China is actively engaged in international affairs, especially when some small or weak countries are suppressed, China always took strong stance to protect them. China has launched Global Security Indicatives and Global Development Initiatives, etc. China has strong will and huge capacity to contribute toward global affairs.
The recent situation in the Middle East is entering into a dangerous stage. Where, Israel with its mighty military power is determined to eliminate Palestine completely. Israeli barbarism has crossed all records and targeting infant, young children, women, elderly people, civilians, even is not sparing hospitals, and simply is engaged in Genocide. Hamas, a simple freedom fighters, with not air force, Navy or a proper army, is offering huge resistance, with merely simple basic weapons. Genocide has several stages, the first being the identifying of targets, second stage to put them in concentration camps, and final stage directly killing them. Israel, has long ago identified, and pushed them in concertation camps like Gaza strip, surrounded by Israel. And now is engaged in third stage of killing them.
Whole world is condemning Israel actions, but, the US is protecting them, even using veto power to shelter genocide of Palestinians by Israelis. The True face of the US has been exposed and anti-America sentiments has enhance globally, even in the countries which were known as close ally with the US. The public opinion around the globe is totally against Israeli aggressions and barbarism, and sympathizes the poor Palestinians. But, few of the governments are standing with the US against the public opinion in their own country.
China has a very clear stance on Israel-Palestine issue, which is based on humanitarianism, justice and within the UN charter:
The current Palestinian-Israeli conflict has caused heavy civilian casualties and a serious humanitarian disaster. It is a grave concern of the international community. President Xi Jinping stated China’s principled position on the current Palestinian-Israeli situation on a number of occasions. He stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire and ending the fighting, ensuring that the humanitarian corridors are safe and unimpeded, and preventing the expansion of the conflict. He pointed out that the fundamental way out of this lies in the two-state solution, building international consensus for peace, and working toward a comprehensive, just and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question at an early date.
Pursuant to the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council shoulders primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and should thus play an active and constructive role on the question of Palestine. In this connection, China offers the following proposals:
1. Implementing a comprehensive ceasefire and ending the fighting. Parties to the conflict should truly implement the relevant UNGA and UNSC resolutions and immediately realize a durable and sustained humanitarian truce. Building on UNSC Resolution 2712, the Security Council, in response to the calls of the international community, should explicitly demand a comprehensive ceasefire and end of the fighting, work for de-escalation of the conflict, and cool down the situation as soon as possible.
2. Protecting civilians effectively. The UNSC resolution demands in explicit terms that all parties comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law, notably with regard to the protection of civilians. It is imperative to stop any violent attacks against civilians and violations of international humanitarian law, and avoid attacks on civilian facilities. The Security Council should further send a clear message on opposing forced transfer of the Palestinian civilian population, preventing the displacement of Palestinian civilians, and calling for the release of all civilians and hostages held captive as soon as possible.
3. Ensuring humanitarian assistance. All relevant parties must, as per requirements of the UNSC resolution, refrain from depriving the civilian population in Gaza of supplies and services indispensable to their survival, set up humanitarian corridors in Gaza to enable rapid, safe, unhindered and sustainable humanitarian access, and avoid a humanitarian disaster of even greater gravity. The Security Council should encourage the international community to ramp up humanitarian assistance, improve the humanitarian situation on the ground, and support the coordinating role of the United Nations as well as the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in humanitarian assistance, and prepare the international community for supporting post-conflict reconstruction in Gaza.
4. Enhancing diplomatic mediation. The Security Council should leverage its role in facilitating peace as mandated in the UN Charter to demand that parties to the conflict exercise restraint to prevent the conflict from widening and uphold peace and stability in the Middle East. The Security Council should value the role of regional countries and organizations, support the good offices of the UN Secretary General and the Secretariat, and encourage countries with influence on parties to the conflict to uphold an objective and just position so as to jointly play a constructive role in deescalating the crisis.
5. Seeking political settlement. According to relevant UNSC resolutions and international consensus, the fundamental settlement of the question of Palestine lies in the implementation of the two-state solution, restoration of the legitimate national rights of Palestine, and the establishment of an independent State of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty based on the 1967 border and with east Jerusalem as its capital. The Security Council should help restore the two-state solution. A more broad-based, authoritative and effective international peace conference led and organized by the UN should be held as soon as possible to formulate a concrete timetable and roadmap for the implementation of the two-state solution and facilitate a comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine. Any arrangement on the future of Gaza must respect the will and independent choice of the Palestinian people, and must not be imposed upon them.
Even, President Xi, wrote a Congratulatory Message to U.N. Special Commemorative Meeting in Observance of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. It carries high importance that President Xi himself is desiring a peaceful solution of this complex issue.
Xi Jinping pointed out that the question of Palestine lies at the heart of the Middle East issue. It is a matter of international fairness and justice. The root cause of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the fact that the realization of the legitimate national right of Palestinians to establish an independent State of Palestine is long overdue. There can be no sustainable security without security for all: this is a hard lesson learned from the cycle of repeated Palestinian-Israeli conflicts. The international community must act now and urgently. The United Nations Security Council must take on its responsibility and do all it can to push for ceasefire, protect civilians, and end the humanitarian disaster. Palestinian-Israeli peace talks should be resumed on that basis as soon as possible. The Palestinians’ right to statehood, right to existence, and right of return must be realized at the earliest date.
Xi Jinping emphasized that China has all along firmly supported the just cause of the Palestinian people to regain their legitimate national rights. The fundamental solution to the question of Palestine lies in the establishment of an independent State of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty based on the 1967 border and with east Jerusalem as its capital. The economic needs of Palestine and its people’s living necessities must be guaranteed. The international community should provide more development assistance and humanitarian support for Palestine. It is important to keep to the right direction of peace talks. A more authoritative international conference for peace should be convened as soon as possible. China has put forward the Global Security Initiative, and is of the view that disagreements and disputes between nations should be resolved through dialogue and consultation. China supports all efforts that are conducive to the peaceful settlement of crises. On the question of Palestine, China will continue to speak up for fairness and justice, promote talks for peace, and provide humanitarian and development assistance to Palestine. As a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, China will continue to work with the rest of the international community to build consensus for peace, get the question of Palestine back on the right track of the two-state solution, and seek an early resolution that is comprehensive, just and durable.
China has close ties with Palestine and extends full diplomatic and political support in just their struggle for their legitimate right of self-determination, protected under UN charter. China-Palestine have economic, trade, culture, ties, and after the launch of BRI, the cooperation enhanced further.
However, China maintains close contact with Israel, and have close cooperation in Agriculture, Science and Technology, even manage the important Israeli Sea-port of Haifa. China’s relations with Israel are taken positively, as, it makes China to play a role of mediator. China has certainly influence over Palestine and as well as on Israel, it makes negotiations positively successful. Whereas, the US tilt toward Israel is not acceptable by Palestine as a mediator.
China has experience in brokering peace deals, like recent peace deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia is brokered by China. It is expected, China may mediate the dialogue to resolve the complex issue in a peaceful manner and avert bloodshed further.
China is a peace loving nation and would like promote peace globally, its new initiatives are aiming a global peace, harmony, developments and prosperity. Hope China may accelerate its efforts to resolve this issue on a sustainable manner permanently, and early solution may avert the ongoing blood shed of innocent Palestinians.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)